Color Perfect Lipstick is available in a wide variety of attractive colors, but you don't have to be a perfectionist to take issue with the mediocre formula of this cream lipstick.

While we appreciate Milani's full disclosure of ingredients on their Web site, we do find it odd that they would take the extra step to label six ingredients in Color Perfect Lipstick as "allergens" (fragrant ingredients), but they failed to take the more important step of reformulating this lipstick to remove those allergens from this product, or from all of their products for that matter. This is really one of the oddest disclosures we've ever seen. Their identifying several of their ingredients as allergens was a first for us! (See More Info to learn why excess fragrance is a problem.)

For colorful, quality, cream lipsticks at a fair price, look at our list of Best Lipsticks and check out the comparable bargains available from N.Y.C., e.l.f., or Wet 'n' Wild.

Pros:

Wide variety of colors.

Cons:

Strong fragrance and several irritating fragrance ingredients.

Color fades easily.

Some of the shades have a frosty, sparkling finish that's overdone.

More Info:

Daily use of products that contain a high amount of fragrance—whether the fragrant ingredients are synthetic or natural—causes chronic irritation that can damage healthy collagen production, lead to or worsen dryness, and impair your skin’s ability to heal. Fragrance-free is the best way to go for all skin types. If fragrance in your skin-care products is important to you, it should be a very low amount to minimize the risk to your skin. (Sources: Inflammation Research, December 2008, pages 558–563; Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, June 2008, pages 124–135 and November-December 2000, pages 358–371; Journal of Investigative Dermatology, April 2008, pages 15–19; Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, March 2008, pages 78–82; Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, January 2007, pages 92–105; and British Journal of Dermatology, December 2005, pages S13–S22.)

Launched in 2002, Milani Cosmetics prides itself as being an affordable beauty line with a "passion for color and a recognized need for a broader variety" for women of different ages, skin tones and income. While many brands have a limited selection of products designed for medium to dark skin, Milani has succeeded in catering to women with deeper skin tones, which is this makeup line's chief point of difference. We admire Milani for celebrating the beauty in diversity, and their dedication to providing color options that are appropriate (and appealing) to a wide range of skin tones.

Milani focuses on face and eye products, and this is where they excel. Despite being a smaller brand (compared to the likes of Cover Girl or L'Oreal), Milani products can be found tucked alongside the big makeup lines in many drugstores and stores like Target and Wal-Mart. They've definitely added a splash of color to the cosmetics aisle, and several of their inexpensive products are definitely worth a look. But as with most makeup lines, there also are some poorly executed products to avoid.

This is a diverse line with a mix of bold, classic, and trendy makeup. Although the products may be aesthetically pleasing on the shelf, their visual appeal doesn't always translate well to actual application and performance quality. In some instances, Milani's philosophy of "color, color, color and more color" misses the boat by offering glitzy, ultra-vibrant shades, instead of more options for a classic makeup application (women of color have to go to work, too, not just out for the evening). Just because you have dark skin doesn't mean your color choices need to be shocking or ultra-bold. Still, as mentioned, Milani offers some worthwhile products and their prices are budget-friendly. On balance, you'll find more to like than avoid.

The new Beautypedia Team proudly and unequivocally maintains the commitment to help you find the best products possible for your skin. We do this by relentlessly pursuing and relying on published scientific research so you will have unbiased information on what works and what doesn't-and the sneaky ways you could be making your skin worse, not better!

The Beautypedia Team reviews all products using the same research, criteria, and objectivity, whether the product being reviewed is from Paula's Choice or another brand.

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